Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

Well, things went to hell in a handbasket last night. Flooding is widespread and most of Houston is inundated. We are. We have some neighbors not far away who are not underwater, so we made get out our bass boat and float over there this afternoon.

Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

Ugh, Vonna. I came here right from a national weather site. I have a feeling we won't be hearing much from you for a few days, and then you will be very very busy. Good thing Race is safely off to school.

Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

Vonna, I hope you are safe. I talked to a couple of Houston friends this morning. My father-in-law was evacuated to Houston (he was in a nursing home in Corpus). Why they took him to Houston, I don't know. His daughter thought he was going to Dallas. I called the nursing home this morning, and they said he was fine. This is one of those situations where having Alzheimer's is a good thing. He's not really cognizant of everything that's happened in the last couple of months.

I evacuated around noon on Friday -- yep, very last minute. I'm in McAllen Texas, staying at the vacant home of a friend from the kidlit community. I don't think she's active on the blueboards anymore. My 18 year old son, 2 dogs, and 3 cats are with me. I am very, very grateful to have had a place to go to hold all of us. There has not been one drop of rain in this area.

My house is fine. No power. Corpus is under a water boil notice. Gas and open stores are scarce. The mayor said people can come back, but he wouldn't recommend it if you were in a safe place. I also had a slight mechanical boo-boo with my car on the way down -- my left back passenger window slipped into the door frame. It's supposed to be repaired tomorrow. We may head back home Tuesday depending on conditions in Corpus. I'm not going back until the power's back on and Harvey's gone. At one time they said something about Harvey coming back around to Corpus again.

I hope all are safe. Harvey has turned out to be a humdinger of a storm.

Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

to everyone affected by Harvey. Lill, I'm so glad to hear your home is all right and that you have a place to stay. I'm also glad we can communicate and don't have to sit and wonder like we did so many decades ago.

So glad you're safe, Lill and Vonna. Prayers for everyone in the area. My parents lived in Aransas Pass for many years and I'm pretty sure their old house has to be flooded...it was close to the water. We have so many wonderful memories from Aransas Pass, Port A, and Rockport. Heartbreaking to see so much just gone.

Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

The relatives that evacuated to stay with me in San Antonio, went back to Corpus. Their apartment complex notified residents that their electricity was back on, the city water treatment plant is up and running so the boil water should be lifting soon. Corpus dodged the mess that wound up getting Rockport and Port Aransas. What they predicted for San Antonio didn't happen. Praying for Vonna and the rest of Houston--this is indeed catastrophic.

Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

So glad all are safe. Sounds like a horrific storm. Did they think Harvey woud be that bad?

No, from the coverage we're getting this was a total surprise and that's why they were not told to evacuate because they thought they would be safer staying put instead of thousands converging on the road to leave.

Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

Vonna, I hope your family and you are well. Did you float to a safe place? My brother-in-law and nephew are in a 4th floor apartment in the Galleria area. Last I heard they were doing well, staying dry, had water, and food. Other family members are medical professionals who are working. My husband's family in Beaumont are above water, but today may be another story as the storm shifts. Prayers and peace for all. God bless the Cajun Navy and all first responders and volunteers who have boated, stepped, wadded, and swam to rescue others. There are good people everywhere.

Re: Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast

Vonna and Lill have both evacuated to friends' houses. Thank heavens for helpful friends! Hope everyone else that's affected is safe and dry, too. My heart just broke yesterday when I saw photos of residents in a care center sitting in their wheel chairs in water up to their waists while they waited for someone to come save them. The home director couldn't reach anyone to get help, so her daughter posted the photo all over the internet. The fifteen residents were finally taken out by helicopter and eleven of them were hospitalized. And this is just one incident! My heart bleeds for all the people whose homes are submerged and who have lost so much. So far, the loss of life has been minimal, though, and I hope it stays that way! "Possessions are expendable. Lives are irreplaceable."